Remakes, remasters, and franchise reboots. They’re everywhere. Drunk on nostalgia, we line up for shoddy reconstructions of the hits of yesterday, and often the result is utter disappointment. Returning to the high point of the Burnout franchise for a remaster should’ve been a safe bet, on paper at least, because the key to Burnout Paradise isn’t stunningly recreated worlds and Project Cars-esque handling models. It’s always been about breakneck speed, ruthless aggression, smashing things, and the endless desire to push onward. You hardly have time to appreciate blossoms falling delicately from cherry trees lining the sidewalk. It’s been a while, but Criterion has dusted off a classic, and once again wants to take you down to Paradise City, where the cars are fast and textures aren’t pretty.
